Reunions
by Stormy1x2
Summary: The long awaited sequel to 'Unlikely Partners'. A TMNT/Transformers crossover. It's a reunion - though the people involved haven't technically met before. Done for LJ's fanfic100 community.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Reunions, 1/?

**Author:** Stormy1x2 (traveling_storm)

**Rating**: G

**Pairings**: None

**Word Count:** 3415 (approx)

**Warnings:** Mild spoilers for G1 season 2 Transformers, but nothing overtly specific. TMNT/TF xover.

**Summary**: A chance meeting in Bali, a battle and a kind of reunion, though none of the people involved have actually _really_ met before. :D

**Notes**: Done for LJ's fanfic 100, prompt **#26**:_ teammates._ Sequel to 'Unlikely Partners'. I've had to make a few changes - the first fic, 'Unlkely Partners' was more G1-based than movie based, and this fic is going to definitely be movie-heavy. Explanations for certain details will pop up in future chapters (chapters 2 and 3 are finished and are undergoing revision right now) so if you want to nitpick over movie discrepancies, please give it a chance and see if your questions get answered.

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**Reunions, Chapter 1  
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The sun was a tireless, merciless tormentor, beating down on April's head for the fifth day in a row of her stay in beautiful Bali. Trickles of sweat made their way down her face and neck, soaking into the scooped neckline of her tank top.

_Not even a breeze_, she groused. The air was almost unnaturally still – a common occurrence in her line of work. Often times, the artifacts she retrieved for her employers were objects of ancient power that had an aura one could sense just by being close to it. Sometimes the very world around her seemed to freeze into place, as though stilled by the commodity she was being commissioned to take.

"Almost done, Miss O'Neil." April's thoughts were interrupted by her guide, a young man named Eloni. Eloni had been very enthusiastic about her trip when he'd learned where it was she wanted to go. _Gunung Agung_. Mount Agung. The highest peak in Bali, on the island's eastern end. Said to be the home of a ruby a dozen times larger then what was found in Bali's underground caves. When she'd mentioned their destination, Eloni had told her proudly that his name meant 'mountain' in several southern pacific island dialects; he was positive it was destiny that they go after such a treasure together.

Though really, April had been sure that the ruby was only a legend – until her employer, who wished to remain anonymous and worked strictly through his lawyer, Mr Rumboli – had sent her several satellite images of a temple buried deep into the mountains. When she asked why the temple had never been discovered and excavated, the reply – given again, via the lawyer – was that the satellite was privately owned, and the imaging technology far more advanced then anything else in the area. April's questions about the legality of the retrieval were responded with a sheaf of papers signed by a top Bali official giving permission for the excavation – and extraction of artifacts – of anything in the temple found in the mountain.

The whole thing smelled fishy to her, but the payoff was going to be bigger then anything she had ever seen in her entire life. Armed with the legal documents and a valid Bali visa, April had agreed to go and search for the ruby.

Casey had wanted to go with her, but over the years, April had become accustomed to doing the traveling by herself. She loved Casey with all her heart; however despite all of the lessons with Master Splinter and Leonardo, Casey still had a penchant for attracting attention. He was loud, goofy, and perpetually in a good mood (as long as everyone was obeying the law in his presence), and people had a tendency to gravitate towards him.

No, April didn't want him on this particular jaunt. If nothing else, it would be good to have him home, safe and ready to bail her out of jail if the Balinese government decided not to make good on her paperwork. _Besides_, she thought with a small grin. _I already have the best backup in the world. _

Eloni was chattering softly as he led the way through the jungle near the foot of Mount Agung, using a long-handled knife to hack away at the lush greenery before them. Even if he'd known exactly where to look, Eloni never would have seen the silent shadow that tailed them – and sometimes went ahead to handle the local wildlife before Eloni and April set foot anywhere near it. April saw the telltale twitch of a large leaf frond, and smothered a grin.

"Miss O'Neil!" Eloni waved at her, making her snap back to attention. "We are here!"

"So we are," she replied, gazing through the cleared brush at the rocky plain that signaled the foot of the mountain. The easy part was over – now the hard part began. Shrugging off her backpack, April went through her preparations.

Her hiking boots were equipped with attachable crampons. Her ninja hand-spikes – shuko spikes - slipped over her gloved palms, settling snugly into place. From her bag, she pulled out a spherical object painted to look like a turtle shell. She ignored Eloni's confused look as she pressed a small indent on the top – three small curved hooks jutted out from the sides. She hooked it on her belt.

A strange-looking visor was fitted around her head, and it beeped as she pressed a button on the side. Instantly, the visor began scanning her immediate surroundings, sending her information. A small microphone detached from the left arm of the visor and she coughed into it, testing the sound. On the other side, another instrument detached from the right visor arm, and this fit neatly into her right ear.

"Miss O'Neil?"

April gave Eloni an encouraging smile. "I'm going to scout ahead up the mountain a little bit," she told him, putting a few more things into the pack at her waist, and then putting her backpack back on. "You stay here until I get back."

"But Miss O'Neil, it's dangerous for you to go alone!" Eloni objected, looking worried. "And that does not look like proper climbing gear. I have never seen these things before. And you do not have a rope."

"It's okay, Eloni." She patted him on the shoulder. "You've already warned me. You won't be in trouble if anything happens to me. But I've done something like this before, and I want to check it out by myself." _Except, I won't be by myself_, she thought wryly. _But Eloni doesn't know that. _"Besides," she added. "I have something better than a rope. "

Eloni was still wringing his hands in worry as April moved the grappling hook from her belt. Three years of daily practice had given her nearly perfect aim, and after a few spins, she proved it by hooking on to an outcropping nearly thirty-five meters up. With a wave at a shocked Eloni, she tied the line to her reinforced belt, and began climbing the sheer rock face. Her spikes, made for scaling everything from waterfalls to metal surfaces, dug into the rock easily, finding minute-sized grips. Her grappling hook reeled in the slack automatically, and wouldn't release back out unless she triggered it herself – which wouldn't happen until she was ready to scale to the next level. But in the meantime...

Glancing back down to make sure she was out of hearing range, April spoke into the microphone. "Leo? Can you hear me?"

"Crystal clear, April," came the amused voice. "Having fun?"

"Always," she replied, reaching the outcropping a minute later, and climbing over the lip. Leonardo sat on the ledge serenely, looking like a jade green Buddha – that is, if Buddha had a shell, a blue bandanna and a futuristic visor that matched hers. "Fancy meeting you here, stranger."

"I was wondering if you'd make it," Leonardo teased, one eye opening to peer at her with amusement. "I expected you five minutes ago. You're getting slow."

"Watch it, mister," she threatened with a grin, shaking the grit from her spikes. "Besides, I had to reassure poor Eloni that he wasn't going to get blamed for my gruesome demise if I fell."

"Like I'd let that happen," Leo snorted. "Casey would have my head on a pike."

"Exactly."

Twin smiles passed between them, a silent understanding. Leonardo had been April's first choice for this particular job. Raphael stayed on in New York to patrol at night with Casey, and Mikey, though she secretly thought of him almost like the son she'd never had, wasn't quite up to a gig without his bros, halfway around the globe. Donatello was content to stay in the land of wireless Internet and modern technology, rather then duke it out in the heat of the island nation without the aid of an air conditioner. But the climate and region in Bali was somewhat similar to that of Central America, where Leonardo had spent nearly six months of his two-year, round-the-world journey. He was accustomed to handling himself in the wild, untamed jungles, and was therefore the perfect choice to accompany her.

April let out her line. "Ready?"

"After you."

Another throw sent her grappling hook up to another rock formation that jutted out nearly two feet. She tugged hard on the line, satisfied when it held. "Then let's climb."

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* * *

The air was considerably thinner at the lower peak of Mount Agung where they made their final stop. It had taken nearly four hours to get there, and April was thankful for all the times Master Splinter had forced her to meditate and regulate her breathing. She was still breathing harder than Leo though, who looked as though he'd just undergone a leisurely jog through Central Park, instead of a one point five mile hike straight up a sheer cliff.

"I hate you," she panted, glaring at him.

"If I can survive a trip through space with no oxygen, a little thinning air isn't going to be an issue," Leonardo told her. "Besides you did very well yourself, for only having three years of training. Just focus for a minute."

April flopped over onto her back, staring up at the clear blue sky. It would be dark in few short hours, and she was hoping that they wouldn't have to spend the night up there. At least going down was going to be a lot easier than going up. She raised her head and stared at the mountain wall, one hand reaching to toggle the switch above her lenses.

Instant x-ray vision. The hollow cavern behind the rock face was right where Mr Rumboli had said they'd be. Another tap turned on the infrared – nothing living showed up on radar.

"I love Donnie," she sighed. "Still hate you, but I love Donnie."

"Donnie or the Visortron V2?" Leonardo asked her innocently, giving her a sideways look of amusement.

"Both. Definitely both. Tell Donnie he's never getting these glasses back, by the way."

"Sure thing." Leo chuckled and reached over, hauling her to a sitting position. "That's enough of a break, don't you think?"

April groaned, and stretched her arms over her head, sighing loudly as she heard her spine crack and snap back into place. "Slave driver. Who's the boss here, exactly?"

"I thought this was a joint effort."

"It is," she said, nodding. "But I'm still the boss."

"Whatever you say." Leonardo flipped to his feet and then extended his hand to help her up. "Shall we?"

"Lets." April took a small cylindrical object out of her backpack. It was long, black, lightweight and adhered to the wall easily. Stepping back, she motioned for Leo to go forward. He did, but waited for her to move behind him.

Taking out a shuriken from his belt, Leonardo took aim and threw. The throwing star hit the black tube dead center and exploded. It was a small, controlled explosion, sending small chunks of rock and debris mostly skyward. As the dust cleared, April poked her head out from behind Leo. "You okay?" she asked, checking his arms and face for shrapnel wounds.

He nodded, flexing his arms and legs to prove it. "I'm fine."

"Good." April tried to move ahead of him, eager to explore the hidden temple, but Leo held her back. "Leo?"

"I'll go first," he said firmly. "There's bound to be traps of some sort."

"No kidding," April said dryly. "This is a holy place to the natives. The place of the gods. These things always have traps to keep the 'mortals' away." She sighed, looking at the jagged hole blown into the cliff face. "I hope we didn't damage anything."

"We're about to find out." Leonardo unsheathed his katana swords as a precaution and slowly moved forward. His senses flared, his aura surged forward, scanning his surroundings as naturally and automatically as an imaging sensor. With one blade, he tested the floor for weakness; his eyes continually scanned the walls looking for darts, knives or any other potential airborne assaults.

The cavern was long and narrow, the only light coming from the brightness of day behind them. As they moved forward and the natural light faded away, they switched on the lights built into the rims of the visors. April followed several steps behind, moving just as cautiously. She had learned a long time ago that just because everything appeared to be okay to the naked eye, didn't mean a million dangers weren't lurking below.

"Be careful," Leonardo whispered.

Unnecessarily, in her opinion. April stuck out her tongue at him, but he just gave her a look, and she wiped the snark off her face. He was just being careful, more concerned about her safety then she was.

"Sorry," she said quietly, and Leo quirked a brow at her. Instant forgiveness.

The rock corridor wasn't very long. Soon it spilled open into a large room. April gaped at the ornately carved columns that lined the walls. The floor was one giant relief carving of hieroglyphics and symbols, some of which she vaguely recognized from previous journeys. The ceiling was peppered with stalactites, curved and sharp, pointing towards the floor. Across the large room, the light from their visors reflected off something, something big. Glancing at each other, they focused their visors and turned up the lights to maximum.

Standing at least twenty feet tall was a statue of an ancient sentry. Emanating from the carving of his ornamental headdress was a reddish glow. April's eyes widened. "That's the ruby," she whispered to Leo.

He nodded, studying the statue, and the surrounding structure. "I don't sense any traps," he said quietly, still scanning the room. "X-rays not picking up anything, neither is infrared. All that my sensors are registering is rock and dirt."

"Maybe there are no traps," April mused thoughtfully. "This _is_ fairly high up the mountain." Not just anyone could make it up here, not without years of extreme training, or equipment that didn't exist in that particular time period. "Maybe Bali's ancient priests back then felt there was no need for traps."

"Maybe." Leonardo was a touch more cynical than April. He obviously didn't believe that. "I'll go first again."

"Be my guest," she said, waving him on.

Leonardo crept across the room, straining his eyes and ears. But despite his expectations, nothing jumped out at him, and when he arrived unscathed at the foot of the statue, the look of disappointment on Leo's face made her laugh as she joined him.

"This is too easy," he grumbled worriedly.

"Well, I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth," April declared. Leaning back, she stared up at the large ruby. Her gaze slid sideways to him. "Give a gal a boost?"

As Leonardo nodded and moved into position, neither of them saw the shadows move behind them, or the red eyes that peered at them from the tunnel they'd just traversed. Ruby red eyes narrowed, and the shadow moved closer to its unsuspecting prey...

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* * *

Jazz had come to the conclusion that he was not a big fan of tropical islands. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were right at home, lounging in their vehicle modes while appreciative car fans swarmed around them, _oohing_ and _aahing_, but he was sick of overheating engines and wasting fuel by running his air conditioning full blast. The sooner they found and stopped the Decepticon activity they'd been informed about, the better.

Several days prior, an alert had been sent out and picked up by Teletraan1. Decepticons had been spotted on various parts of the island of Bali, performing deep-penetration scans. The islands leading authorities were convinced they were after the ruby mines. There were several rich veins deep under the island, particularly near the volcanoes, but the human mines were the only ones they'd found so far, and the yield had been apparently less then what the Decepticons wanted or needed. As a result, they were scanning the entire island, looking for richer deposits.

Soon after Jazz had arrived with his team, news came over the wire that apparently the Decepticons had found one suitable, and had commenced with the digging. Hound and Trailbreaker, along with Bluestreak as backup, were sent to scout ahead and gather information before they made their move. In the meantime, he, the Twins, Ironhide and Bumblebee (with Sam, codenamed 'Spike', who had naturally refused to be left behind) were left twiddling their mechanized digits in the sun. _Correction,_ he amended. _The __**hot**__ sun_.

::_You need to relax a bit, Jazz-man_:: Sideswipe sent over the radio lazily. His holoform – a hologram of hard light particles that could be felt (provided the toucher didn't press too hard) – was having a good time laughing with the locals. Sunstreaker's holoform stayed inside the car, conserving energy by using the normal hologram technology. Both of them were parked as close to the beach as they could get without touching the sand. Sand in ones valve intakes was not a pleasant sensation.

::_You have any idea how much energy you're wasting?_:: Jazz asked idly. ::_Those holoforms are for emergency only, and you're using one to flirt with the ladies_.::

::_I got lots in reserve_,:: Sideswipe retorted easily. ::_You're just jealous because they're not fawning over you_.::

::_Ya got me, Siders, that's it right there_.:: Jazz chuckled, giving in. He didn't like playing the authority figure – particularly with the Twins. Though Jazz cared deeply for all his fellow Autobots, he'd be the first to admit he had a soft spot for the duo. Much like Ratchet, though he'd deny it, and Ironhide, who'd probably hurt him greatly for even suggesting he had a weakness for the 'aft-brained punks.' ::_Just make sure you don't drain yourself before we go out there_.::

::_Yes, mom_,:: came the droning reply.

If Jazz had been in his normal mode, his optics would have been rolling. Instead, his sensors beeped at him, informing him of an incoming Transformer. He sent out a pulsing scan, instantly registering his scouts approaching.

::_Mission accomplished_,:: Hound reported, rolling to a stop next to the silver-colored Solstice.

::_I see you didn't have any trouble,:_: Jazz returned. Not that he'd been expecting it. Hound was the best tracker they had, able to sniff out even the tiniest of scents over large distances. Coupled with his perfect 3D hologram technology, the green Jeep Tracker was a natural at blending into his environment. The other two, Trailbreaker and Bluestreak, rounded out their team. Trailbreaker's expandable forcefields were the most solid defense of the Autobot armament, and Bluestreak was their top sharpshooter. Even if Hound happened to get discovered (highly unlikely), Trailbreaker's forcefields would protect them from anything short of multiple nuclear strikes. If something got past the black Pathfinder (a feat as unlikely to occur as Hound getting discovered), Bluestreak's crack marksmanship would ensure that they got to safety, and guarantee whatever dared to pursue them instant death.

::_As the earth saying goes, it was a piece of cake_,:: Hound assured him. ::_Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp, all confirmed. Soundwave, Ravage, Rumble and Laserbeak too. And the Constructicons_.:: As he spoke, his holographic projectors illustrated his report with three-dimensional images of the scene. Jazz checked the proximity of the closest humans and was happy to note they were still cooing over the twins, and apparently not remotely interested in looking over. Hound continued. ::_Thundercracker and Skywarp were assisting the Constructicons with the ruby retrieval. Rumble and Laserbeak are on guard duty, no surprise there. Soundwave seems to be supervising._::

::_And ol' Screamer?_::

Hound grinned. ::_Whining about the heat._:: From where they sat, surrounded by their fans, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sent identical snorts of amusement over Jazz's radio.

::_You two just hush it up, now,_:: Jazz sent back good-naturedly. ::_Megatron ain't here, I take it?_:: Despite the humans dropping Megatrons fried construct into the icy waters of the ocean's deepest channel, the leader of the Decepticons had been retrieved and somehow, revived nearly a year ago, and had instantly resumed control of his forces, much to Starscream's dismay. He'd been much more cautious though as a result, sending his underlings out to carry out his plans while he remained in the background, barking out his orders over their radios.

::_Nope_.:

::_What about Ravage?_::

Hound shrugged. In his vehicle form, it rocked him from side to side. ::_He took off before we got there. I only know he was dispatched, because Starscream took some time out from his busy schedule to rant about how Ravage should be helping with the digging, so they could leave faster_.::

Jazz contemplated that for a minute. Bumblebee was doing a sweeping patrol of their perimeter and was due to check in within the next ten minutes, but he had a better idea. ::_Bumblebee?_::

::_Yeah, Jazz?_:: came the prompt reply.

::_Got a job for you and Spike_.::

::_And that is?_::

::_Ravage is somewhere on the island, likely near where they're digging. When we move in, I want you and Spike to go and hunt him down, find out where he is and what he's doing,:: _Jazz sent over_. ::Copy that?:_:

::_Copy, Jazz. Sam and I are on it_.::

Jazz turned his focus back on the rest. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had left their admirers behind and had joined the rest of them. ::_Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, you guys are on the Constructicons. Don't let them form Devastator. Bluestreak, you got their backs. When you get the chance, target one of them. We don't need kill shots, but we do need them disabled._::

The trio nodded.

::_Hound, you, Trailbreaker and Ironhide are on the Seekers. Use your forcefields to keep them from flying free, 'Breaker._::

::_Can do, Jazz_,:: Trailbreaker promised.

::_I'll go after Soundwave and keep him and Rumble distracted. Cliffjumper, Windcharger and Brawn are en route and will be here in fifteen minutes. We move in ten – they'll be the surprise add-in to this little shin-dig._:: Jazz looked over to the Twins. ::_No clowning around you two. Take out the Constructicons, and take them down hard. When you do, Sunstreaker, you go help Trailbreaker and Hound with the Seekers. Sideswipe, come with me. Bluestreak, you shoot any 'Bot you can not wearing an Autobot symbol. Everyone clear?_::

Everyone sent an affirmative over the wire. Jazz nodded mentally, and revved his engines. ::_Let's roll out!_::

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**End chapter 1**

**Feedback craved. :D  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Reunions, 2/?  
**Author:** Stormy1x2 (traveling_storm)  
**Rating:** G  
**Pairings:** None  
**Word Count:** 4942 (approx)  
**Warnings: **Mild spoilers for G1 season 2 Transformers, but nothing overtly specific.  
**Summary: **April and Leo meet the Transformers properly for the first time since hearing all about Mikey's rescue a few months prior.

**Notes:** Prompt #**76**: _who?_

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**Reunions Chapter 2**

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"Did you gain weight?"

April gave a very unladylike snort and glared down at the domed head beneath her. "I am in a prime position to kick you in the head. Ask me that again."

"My apologies," Leo said contritely. He held on to April's feet, providing as sturdy a platform as she could ever ask for while she delicately coaxed the ruby free from its home in the statue's forehead. "How's it going?"

"Well..." April bit her lip as she used a probe to gently dig around the final side of the ruby. "It's in here pretty tight. Almost like it was sealed somehow. Not sure how they managed that – I don't think they had things like superglue back then, but they definitely used some sort of cement to keep it in place. Most likely dried clay that's hardened to rock over the years. But I'm getting there."

"No rush," Leo told her. "Take your time."

"Just for that, I plan to," April retorted. What did he expect, that she would just pluck the darn thing out with her bare hands? Excavating an artifact took careful work, planning and strategy to ensure nothing was destroyed in its removal, including the artifact itself. No one appreciated talent anymore. She returned her attention to the large ruby, smiling with pride as another chip of clay came free. Pressing on the ruby's surface lightly, she could feel some give, and she tugged at it experimentally. "Almost there."

Leonardo didn't respond. In fact, his grip on her feet tightened, and she looked down to see him staring across the room. She tried to follow his gaze, but that would require a three hundred and sixty degree spin with her neck. She tried to move a foot to tap him with it, but his hands were grips of steel on her ankles. "Leo, what is it?"

"We've got company," he said tersely, his voice low; April had to strain to hear him. They had turned off their radios to conserve energy, and she was beginning to regret doing that. "Can you climb up on the statue?"

April surveyed the bumps and rocky outcroppings all over the statue that were supposed to be ornamentation, but time had weathered them to near-indistinguishable molded lumps. Still, they'd be easy to grip. And the shoulder was big enough to function like a wide ledge, once she hoisted herself up. "Yeah, but there's nowhere to go once I'm up there."

"Then you'd better hope I win," he said, and suddenly pushed up on her feet. April nearly squawked in surprise, but managed to stifle it somehow, reaching up with her right hand to grip the crown on the statue's head. Her left hand planted squarely on the rocky shoulder, and she half-pulled, half-pushed herself up, twisting her lower body so she rested in a seating position. "I feel like a Pikachu sitting here," she muttered, wishing she wasn't so useless to her friend in this situation. Ninja training she might have, but she was no where in the turtle's league, and this creature, whatever it was, might wind up being out of theirs.

Leo didn't respond except to toss her bag up there. Then he withdrew his swords, the solid steel making a soft ringing noise in the dim cavern, lit up only by the small lights on their visors. April scanned the area but couldn't see anything that would make Leo go on guard like that. Then she spotted two red glowing lights in the dark, peering out at them from under another set of statues. She might have dismissed them as more rubies, lit up from their helmets, except these lights narrowed; a gleaming mouth opened underneath them revealing a set of razor-sharp fangs that flashed under the weak glow.

April swallowed hard, suddenly glad for the height of the statue. "Oh...my..."

"Who are you?" Leo barked, shifting to a battle stance.

In answer, the creature slid forward noiselessly, gliding over the rocks with the grace of a ninja itself. April was speechless as her helmet lit it up. It resembled a giant panther, all black-painted metal and polished steel. Every muscle was carefully detailed, thick cords of cable twisting around the joints. It was huge; April guess-timated it at at least six hundred pounds, if not more. Standing there in a crouch, its mechanical tail slowly lashing back and forth, its head was even with Leonardo's.

A low rumbling echoed in the cavern. April realized it was the creature, the giant metal panther, growling at them. It was a robot, that much was obvious, but there was a glimmer of intelligence lurking in those eyes; the way it cocked its head, as though studying them before making its initial attack. The light spilled over its flanks, and April caught a familiar glimpse of purple paint. Her memory was triggered – she gasped in surprise as she realized what she was looking at.

"It's a Decepticon," she breathed. "Leo, remember from the newspapers? All those robots that landed near Portland last year? And it was reported that there were a few that landed almost two years ago, the ones from California. The invasion that was hushed up!"

Leo's eyes widened. "Mikey told us about them," he murmured.

April recalled the few months previous when Michaelangelo had been captured by the Foot during a patrol. He had been missing for almost a week, all their rescue attempts failed, before word came that the Foot headquarters had been demolished by some large robots. They had been unable to get close – there were hundreds of humans milling around, watching, taking photos and video with their camera phones. There'd been TV cameras and crew at every angle, rescue workers, firefighters and police trying to determine if there were any injured people inside. More large robots had stomped around, helping the humans move debris.

The three brothers, with April and Casey, had watched as best they could from a nearby building, and had been as horrified as the gathered populace when one of the bad robots – a Decepticon – returned in the form of a jet, and fired on the site again.

Raph had been beside himself, going berserk in his frenzy to break free from the iron grip Leo and Casey had had on him. Leonardo had told April later that he wanted nothing more then to let him go and follow Raph himself – but there was nothing they could do for Mikey at that moment in time. All they could do was wait.

The robots had eventually retrieved their own and left, but the brothers had waited, miserable and afraid that they'd lost their youngest member. April remembered the look on Raph's face when his shell-cell had gone off. Mikey was alive. He'd been rescued. Somehow, amidst the shouts and questions from the peanut gallery, they'd managed to get his location and had picked him up. He'd been exhausted, sore, and his hands had been in rough shape, but he was alive.

The story Mikey told them had been unreal, but as April took in the sight of the mechanical beast prowling slowly towards Leonardo, she realized her 'little brother' had kind of glossed over a few details. Mainly, regarding size. This thing was _huge_, and it wasn't even one of the regular robots. "Well, now I'm really glad I told Eloni to stay behind."

"He's the lucky one," Leonardo said grimly, and then the panther let out a blood-curdling yowl before it leaped at the turtle with near-blinding speed.

Leonardo managed to block the first swipe of deadly claws with his sword, and he slashed the other sword at the semi-exposed underbelly of the rearing cat. Sparks flashed as metal raked on metal, and then Leo simply let himself fall down, rolling back on his shell and bringing his legs up under the cat. Kicking out, the large panther was thrown into the air, crashing into the base of the statue April was sitting on.

"Easy!" she shouted, as the statue shuddered, flecks of rock and dust breaking free from the ceiling at the impact. "I'm up here, remember?"

"Sorry April," Leo gasped as he jumped to his feet and blocked another swipe in the same breath – the throw had been hard, but being mechanical instead of biological, a hit like that against concrete obviously didn't have the same impact. He switched targets, and aimed a strike at the panther's leg joint where it joined the body. The panther was still pressed against him, claws straining against his blade, the two of them locked in a standing position that probably looked like a strange but deadly dance. But he must have hit something, because the cat suddenly let out a screech and fell back, giving Leo some breathing room..

April peered through the dim lighting, her eyes brightening as she registered a strange dark flow of something going down the leg that Leo had attacked. "Leo, you hurt it!"

"That's good to know," Leo said, a dark smirk firmly in place. He reset his position, waiting. He didn't have to wait long.

With another snarl, the panther darted to the side, trying to disorient him, before rebounding off the wall and lunging straight at his face, massive claws extended. Leo sidestepped swiftly and brought his swords to bear, striking with surgical precision. Cables snapped; a splash of hot oil or fuel or something painted the turtle's face and plastron. The cat screeched again, landing roughly on the ground, its wounded front legs unable to bear its weight.

Leonardo watched it for a second as it struggled, its back legs scrabbling against the rock-strewn floor, pushing itself away, gaining some distance. A whirring sound could be heard; April fought back the urge to swear. "It probably has some sort of internal repair system, Leo!"

"Then that means we should leave while we can," Leo decided. He quickly sheathed his swords and stepped forward under the statue, holding his arms out. "Jump, April!"

"Just a second!" April reached around to the statue's face and jammed her probe into the gap between the rock and the ruby. Applying as much of her strength as she could from the awkward side angle, she felt something give. The ruby suddenly popped out like a champagne cork. Leo casually reached out and snagged it before it could hit the ground. "Good catch!"

"Jump!" Leo ordered tersely. April leaned forward and slipped off the shoulder, swinging her legs forward to land in Leo's arms in a seated position. He quickly set her on her feet handing her the ruby, which she stuffed into the bag tied to her waist. "Let's go!"

Moving swiftly through the cavern, they made their way over boulders and the hidden pits they'd navigated only a short time before, heading towards the growing opening of light that stretched out before them. April scrambled through the narrow passageway, Leo at her back, watching for the appearance of the panther-machine. They were nearly at the end of the tunnel when the familar red eyes appeared at the opposite end. The cat was scraping its sides against the stony walls but it was moving at a steady lope, a snarling yowl issuing forth from its mechanical mouth.

April burst through the jagged opening Leo had blown open earlier, and instantly stopped short. Leonardo bumped into her from behind. "April, what...?"

He stopped speaking as he looked up. And up. Another machine stood there on the wide cliff ledge. It was even bigger than the panther and vaguely humanoid shaped, standing on two legs as opposed to the cat's four. It was yellow, black and silver colored metal, with crystal blue eyes staring down at them with curiosity. April swallowed a shriek and tried very, very hard not to faint.

To Leo's credit, he didn't hesitate in the slightest, leaping in front of April and unsheathing his swords. He pushed her roughly out of the way to the side so she wouldn't fall prey to the one coming from behind. "April, get away from here. Climb down as fast as you can."

"You can't take them both on!" April protested.

A screech of rage came from the tunnel and they both turned in time to see the mechanical panther leap from the opening. But instead of lunging at them, it twisted in the air and aimed for the taller yellow robot. Leonardo scrabbled towards the side, dragging April with him behind a boulder, and they watched as the tall robot grabbed the cat in mid leap by the neck and back leg, whirling around and slamming it into the ground.

"Ouch," Leo said, wincing despite himself.

Obviously the cat thought the same thing. It struggled to get to its feet, groaning painfully. The yellow robot stormed forward and reached towards it, metal fingers flexing in anticipation. The cat suddenly got a burst of energy and slid through the other's grasp, snaking through its legs and suddenly leaping off the cliff face. Leonardo jumped up and circled around the other, giving it a wide berth, and quickly peered over the edge. The panther hit the side of the mountain roughly, bouncing off it and rolling towards the bottom. Bits seemed to come off it, sparking brightly,and Leo was sure the tail had snapped in two, leaving a metal coil behind like a curled robotic snake. The panther then disappeared into the dense undergrowth of the jungle.

Assured that that particular threat was gone, Leonardo turned back to the other one, swords still at the ready. April watched warily. Just because it had dispatched the other, it did not automatically mean it was on their side. More than once an enemy faction had splintered on itself, fighting for the right to hand the turtles over to their master, eager to steal the glory. This could be more of the same.

"_One, two, three, four, get your woman, on the floor!_" Coolio's voice suddenly blared from the robot, and Leo blinked.

"Say what?"

"_Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you_," crooned Richard Marx.

"This is getting strange," April commented, standing up cautiously from behind the rock.

Leo shot her an odd look. "Compared to what?"

"Hold it!" came another voice. "Hang on a second!"

Leonardo took a step back, motioning for April to stay where she was. "Who's there?" he growled. His hands were clenching around his sword handles.

A head poked up over the the far edge of the cliff, and a young man – _a teenager_, April realized – clambered awkwardly onto the ledge. He was breathing hard – obviously not used to climbing mountains. He was about April's height, maybe a little taller, whipcord thin but with the beginning signs of muscle growth showing beneath the light, sweat-soaked t-shirt he wore.

The robot made what April could scarcely believe was a clucking noise at the boy, and went over to him, going to one knee and gently prodding at him. Paula Abdul asked him, "_How about some information, pleeeeeeeeease?_"

"I'm fine, 'Bee," the boy said crossly, waving the large hand off.

"_You better watch how you're talking, and where you're walking, or you and your homies might be lying in chalk_," scolded the robot.

"Knock off the Coolio. And you worry too much." The boy straightened, breath back, and smiled at them. April and Leo exchanged a look as he greeted them. "Hi! I'm Sam, and this is Bumblebee."

----

* * *

"So, you do know where we're going right?" Sam 'Spike' Whitwickey asked in a breathless tone, punctuated by a pained grunt as he bounced around in his seat. Despite being an Autobot, Camaro's were simply not built for country backroads or Bali jungle lands.

"_You oughta know by now_," sang Billy Joel.

Sam sighed. Soon after the original battle with Megatron, Ratchet had repaired Bumblebee's vocalizer, and it had been wonderful finally getting to talk to his friend instead of interpreting various snippets 'Bee filtered from the radio. But a recent battle involving Starscream and his squadron of jets had caused 'Bee mass amounts of damage, including a relapse of his vocalizer. It had been fixable, but 'Bee was under orders to rest it as much as possible for the next deca-cycle – or one month, in earth time. Ratchet was still lacking an easy way of coming up with Cybertronian parts, which meant if 'Bee's vocalizer was ruined beyond repair, it'd be a long time before he got to talk ever again. "I know we're looking for Ravage. What I mean is, do you know where he is, or are we just aimlessly rambling around here?"

There was an indignant click from the engine. "I am one of the Autobot's best scouts," 'Bee reminded him.

Sam thumped the dashboard. "Vocalizer," he reminded him sternly. "Don't worry, I won't tell Ratchet."

"_Thank you, India_."

"You're welcome, Alanis."

The terrain didn't change as they drove on. Old jeep trails forged by the locals that were obviously not used very much; they were overgrown with vines and thick brush, trees trying to grow up in the path of oncoming vehicles. The road was bumpy to the point of possessing dips that made Sam feel like he was trapped on a roller coaster. The sharp jerks from side to side as 'Bee managed to avoid ripping out his undercarriage by some blessing of the gods were making his stomach twist. "Tell me he's close by?"

As though answering his prayers, the road suddenly opened up to a field at the foot of a giant mountain. The Camaro slid to a stop and the door popped open in an obvious invitation. Sam sent a silent 'thank you' into the air as he left 'Bee's interior. "How do the locals drive on these roads?" he wondered aloud, shaking his head.

"Well, we don't usually drive those," came a timid, accented voice.

Sam whirled around and saw a thin, young man, no older than eighteen or so. His age. "Who are you?"

"My name is Eloni." He nodded at the mountain. "You should not climb up there. There was an explosion. I saw the dust. I came here with a woman who climbed up there a while ago. She has not returned."

If Ravage was up there, there was a chance that woman was not coming back down. Sam turned slightly green at the thought. "You should take off, Eloni. I'm here to check out something that could be dangerous."

"I am not scared," the youth protested.

Suddenly 'Bee's headlights came to life, and the horn honked, although there was obviously nobody inside. The Camaro's engines revved loudly, and Eloni, eyes as wide as saucers, bolted into the undergrowth. Sam chuckled and patted the car's hood. "Very effective. Mean, but effective." He backed up. The Autobot waited until he was clear before transforming with a familiar whir of cogs and sprockets. Bumblebee pointed up the mountain, and Spike groaned. "Up there?"

"_I can hear the bells_," sang the cast from Hairspray.

"I assume you mean you can sense him with your scanners." Sam sent him a sideways look. "And dude, broadway songs?"

"_It's too late to apologize_."

"Timberlake isn't any better." Sam folded his arms. "'Bee, I hope you don't mind me hitching a ride. There is no way I'm climbing this without a rope." Bee let out a series of whirs and clicks that Sam had come to recognize as laughter over the last two years together. "Oh sure, laugh at the wimpy human."

Bumblebee reached down and picked him up carefully, setting him on his shoulder. Sam automatically reached out and gripped one of the protrusions on the Autobot's head. He was no stranger to hitching rides on the twenty foot tall bot, but this was the first time he'd be doing it while the 'bot in question was scaling the side of a mountain. He had a chance at surviving an accidental twenty foot drop. This was something else entirely. He squeezed harder.

Bumblee reached up and patted his leg gently with one finger, as though to reassure him that he wouldn't let him fall. Sam smiled. "Thanks 'Bee."

"_Be prepared_," warned Scar, and then Bumblebee was climbing.

It didn't take very long for 'Bee to make it to the ledge where a hole in the mountainside greeted them. After peering over the ledge, Bumble looked around and spotted a second ledge a bit below the first, and that was where he deposited Sam.

"Now what?" Sam asked quietly. "Is Ravage in there?"

Bumblebee nodded solemnly. "_Stop right there, wait a minute Mr. Postman_," he told Sam warningly.

"Yeah, yeah." Sam frowned. He didn't like staying behind while his friend went forward into danger, but of the two of them, he was the only squishable one. "Be careful."

"I will." With that, Bumblebee stepped back up to the main ledge and moved towards the opening.

"Voice," muttered Sam, peering up anxiously, but his heart wasn't in it. What good was saving your vocalizer when Ravage ripped your entire head off? A minute later he heard the sound of running feet.

"April, what?" Disbelief. A human voice. Male. Sam blinked. There was more than one human up there? "April, get away from here. Climb down as fast as you can." The male voice was talking again. Sam looked up. Bee was still standing still, but his hands were raised, and Sam could tell his attention was divided between the humans and whatever else was up there. Ravage? At least the woman was alive, which was a relief.

"You can't take them both on!"

Speak of the devil. Sam was surprised. Both – she must mean 'Bee and another 'bot, which could only mean Ravage. Did she honestly think a human was going to fight and win against a Decepticon?

Suddenly Bee was moving, and Sam couldn't see past the ledge. He could hear though, and Ravage's familiar cry tore into the air. He could hear 'Bee grunt with exertion, and then there was a massive thud that shook the mountain.

"Ouch," came the male voice.

More movements, and then suddenly Ravage appeared on the far side of the mountain, tumbling down amidst the rocks and debris the cat was kicking up, landing with a thump in the jungle grass below. A second later, and the cat was gone.

....And Bumblebee was playing Coolio again. This had to stop.

"This is getting strange," said the female.

"Compared to what?" asked the male dryly.

"Hold it! Hang on a second!" Sam started climbing, managing to poke his head over the edge after a few difficult minutes of pulling his body weight up the rocks (he was definitely going to stop complaining about the chin-ups Lennox had been making him do in his workouts). The last thing he needed was for the humans to suddenly go hysterical and start screaming and doing other normal human things that would just cause problems. He scanned the area and his eyes fell on a very pretty woman with bright red hair, and a....turtle?

Well... he'd seen stranger things than that, hadn't he? Something tickled the back of his mind, but then 'Bee was there, poking at him. He fended off his large guardian with standard answers, and looked back at the two watching them. "You worry too much," he told Bumblebee with finality, and then smiled at them. "Hi. I'm Sam, and this is Bumblebee." The turtle had swords and he was aiming them in his direction. Sam raised his hands peacefully. "Um... we come in peace?"

The turtle raised an eye..._ridge?_ "How do we know that?"

The woman suddenly slapped the turtle lightly on the shoulder. "That robot just saved us, Leo," she said in a scolding tone that reminded Sam of his mother. Then she smiled at him. "Hi Sam. I'm April. And...Bumblebee?" She looked up and sent a wary smile to 'Bee.

"_Welcome to the jungle!_" screamed Axle Rose as 'Bee inclined his head at her.

Sam shrugged philosophically at the music choice. "Well, it's better than some of the things you've been choosing lately."

Comprehension dawned on the redhead's face. "He uses sound bytes to talk with?" April stared up at his partner with awe.

"Picks the best ones from the radio waves," Sam confirmed. "Just yanks 'em out at about a bajillion miles per second."

"Can he talk normally?" she asked, obviously fascinated with the speed at which Bumblebee filtered through music files and selected the bits he needed.

Sam nodded. "But his vocalizer was damaged in a battle with the Decepticons last month, and he kinda relapsed. He's supposed to rest his voice for the next month and let it heal completely."

"You're taking my appearance rather calmly," said 'Leo', interjecting himself into the conversation. A wry smile quirked his mouth. "But I guess in dealing with alien robots, you're used to seeing strange things."

"You could say that," Sam said fervently, thinking briefly of the odd things he'd seen since taking up with an advanced alien race. "Besides, there's something familiar about you."

"_My blood runs cold, my memory has just been sold_," 'Bee said insistently.

Sam blinked at the lyrics, interpreting his friends non-words. "I should know him?" He thought harder, trying to figure out just why the turtle was supposed to be known to him. It was easy for the Autobot, especially when your memory was a multi-terrabyte hard drive with its own built in search function.

The Camaro huffed at him, obviously frustrated with his shoddy human memory. "No, _I_ do," he said raspily, his vocalizer wheezing in protest. "His brother, remember? I told you the story."

"Stop talking!" Sam commanded, kicking at 'Bee's foot. Ratcher was going to reformat 'Bee as a toaster if he blew his vocalizer again, and he didn't even want to think of what sadistic tortures the medic would think of for _him_. "And oh yeah. Now I remember."

The one April had called Leo stepped forward. One sword dipped towards the ground, harmless. The other was pointed at Bumblebee. The Autobot watched calmly. "You were one of the ones that saved my brother?"

Sam answered for his silent – _finally!_ - guardian. He shook his head, calling to mind the details from a few months ago. "No, that was one of the twins. Sideswipe got your brother out. 'Bee just helped with the cleanup, and kept the other humans away while they moved."

The turtle considered that for a moment, and then slid his swords back into their sheaths. His arms flat by his sides, he suddenly bowed low in 'Bee's direction. "Thank you for helping to rescue my brother," he said quietly, eyes lowered respectfully.

Bumblebee waved his hands and looked at Sam pleadingly. Sam nodded. "Don't worry about it, Leo. Any Autobot would have helped someone in need, and 'Bee wasn't the one that risked his life."

"I know," said Leo. "And when, or if, I meet the ones who did, I'll thank them too."

Sam suddenly snapped his fingers as he remembered something rather important. "'Bee, did you radio in to Jazz? Let him know about Ravage?" He couldn't believe they'd been standing there yakking instead of reporting to the others.

But Bumblebee nodded that he'd tried. "_Something's wrong with the world today, I don't know what it is_."

If Jazz's radio was down, it could mean that the Decepticons had jammed the radio frequencies, which they had managed to do in the past. Sam frowned. It could also mean that the Solstice was injured and unable to broadcast. "We should get back to the others."

Leo and April exchanged looks. "Can we help?" April asked quickly.

"It's the least we can do for you saving us from that cat creature," Leonardo added. "And I would like to repay you for your help with Mikey."

Sam looked at 'Bee, who shrugged. "Fine by me," he said. "We can probably use all the help we can get."

It took a little maneuvering but eventually everyone was settled on 'Bee's shoulders, and the robot quickly but carefully made his way down the rockface. When they touched down on the grass, everyone jumped off, and then Sam waved them back to give 'Bee room to transform. A second later a shiny, new edition Camaro stood before them, its side doors opened wide in invitation.

"He's _gorgeous_," April breathed as they got in. Her hand trailed lightly along the leather seats.

The Autobot preened. "_I'm too sexy_," agreed Right Said Fred.

April blinked suddenly and looked around. "What happened to Eloni?"

Sam chuckled. "We kinda encouraged him to leave. We knew Ravage was in the area, and that's one cat that doesn't take kindly to being spotted by humans." He sobered. "You're lucky you're both alive. I wasn't expecting to meet any survivors up there."

Leonardo shrugged. "We've dealt with strange things in our lives too," he said, exchanging another look with April.

Sam shrugged, not really understanding, and not particularly caring. "Well, whatever. 'Bee?" They needed to get back to the others and find out why communications seemed to be blocked.

The Camaro's engines roared, and suddenly they were tearing back through the jungle, '_Star Trekkin_' blaring out of the radio at top volume.

--------

* * *

**End Chapter 2**

Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated. I know people are reading it - I can see the stats, but I take very seriously any C&C thrown my way. It helps me improve. Also lets me know what you enjoyed, which means I'm more likely to add more tidbits next time, ya know? :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Title**: Reunions, 3/?

**Author:** Stormy1x2 (traveling_storm)

**Rating**: G

**Pairings**: None

**Word Count:** 4071 (approx)

**Warnings:** Mild spoilers for G1 season 2 Transformers, but nothing overtly specific.

**Summary: **A chance meeting in Bali, a battle and a kind of reunion, though none of the people involved have actually _really_ met before. :D

**Notes**: Done for LJ's fanfic100 community, prompt **#44**: _circle_.

**-----**

**

* * *

**

**Reunions, Chapter 3**

* * *

All in all, Jazz considered thoughtfully, things weren't going that badly.

The twins had hit the Constructicons hard with their initial assault. Hook was offline, and Scavenger was missing an arm. The rest of the Constructicons were still putting up a fight, but at least they didn't have to worry about the combiner team forming Devastator until Hook came around, and by that time, Jazz was hoping both sides would be heading home to lick their wounds.

Hound and Trailblazer were firing on the circling jets overhead. Trailblazer's force field was taking a pounding from Starscream's cluster bombs, and Skywarp had unfortunately figured out how to bypass the field, which meant 'Blazer had to drop the first and reform a second shield around his partner and himself and expand it out again, pushing Skywarp back. The good news was that Skywarp kept crashing into the field when that happened, and his crumpled nosecone was a telling sign of how effective the tactic was. The downside was Trailblazer couldn't keep that up forever, particularly not with Screamer's bombs going off in all directions.

Thundercracker had broken formation with his triad and was trading shots with Bluestreak. The gunner had the advantage with distance shooting, but he needed a few seconds to set up his kill shots, and Thundercracker just wasn't giving him that time. Starscream was heralded as the fastest seeker ever created, but Thundercracker was no slouch himself, and his swift dives and swerves were playing havok with Bluestreak's targeting systems. Ironhide had broken away from Trailblazer and Hound and was doing his best to help shut the jet down, but his cannons, though far more powerful than anything the 'Cons were throwing at them, took the longest to charge between rounds, which gave Thundercracker plenty of time to swing through on another strafing run.

Jazz wanted to go and help, but he had his own hands full with Soundwave. The communications specialist was a powerful fighter, almost on par with the twins in some respects, and it was taking everything Jazz had to stay in the game. Soundwave not only used conventional 'Con weaponry, but he also had the advantage of being able to twist and manipulate radio waves and sound vibrations, and twice already Jazz had been sent to his knees from a barrage of high-pitched sonic screams going off directly in his audios. It was a concentrated attack that took a fair bit out of Soundwave, but it took far more out of Jazz.

::_'Bee, I officially don't give a slag about Ravage anymore_:: he sent strongly through their internal radios. ::_We could really use the help!_::

There was no answer, and Jazz frowned. Automatically, he sent a message to Windcharger, the only Autobot not currently directly engaged in battle, as a test. He didn't want to disrupt anyone's concentration while in the middle of a firefight. Despite being famous for their animosity, Cliffjumper, Brawn and the Twins were delivering serious punishment to the remaining Constructicons. Windcharger was holding back, guarding a small village that was dangerously close to the fighting. Jazz received a call from him just as he blasted Soundwave with some waves of his own, channeling as much sound vibration as he could through his powerful speakers, and was rewarded with the sight of Soundwave backing up a step. Following up with a few shots from his guns, Jazz sent the message to 'Bee again, but there was still no answer. Glancing up at Soundwave, he grimaced. If the radio was out, at least for distance, then he'd bet credits to energon that Soundwave had set up some sort of barrier to prevent them from calling for additional back up. He beeped 'Charger back with a ::_Just checkin'!:_:, and was grateful for the instant response he got. Short-range seemed online. That was something to be happy about.

The Constructicons were out of the fight, for the most part. Cliffjumper and Brawn advanced on the retreating 'Cons, but the Twins broke off and headed for the main firefight. Jazz toyed with the idea of ordering them back, but then decided against it. They wouldn't listen, and besides, someone needed to shut down that fragger Starscream.

Sunstreaker had shifted to car form and was racing across the grassy plain, drawing the F-14's attention and subsequent fire. Starscream swooped down, obviously intending to fire some close-range missiles, and that was when Sideswipe struck. The red Lamborghini, racing behind the two of them in alt form, careened up a natural incline in the landscape and pushed off, launching himself into the air. Mid-leap he transformed, and his jet pack fired in the air. The added momentum brought him even with Starscream who had slowed a fraction to take aim at his yellow sibling, and with a whoop that could be heard all over the battle field, Sideswipe landed hard on the jet's back. Utilizing his piledrivers, he set about systematically reducing the plane's fuselage to scrap, slamming his fist hard into the plane's windshield.

Starscream lived up to his name, screeching in pain and fury as glass flew into his cockpit, embedding itself into the delicate circuitry. He began a steep dive, twisting into a series of barrel rolls that had Sideswipe clenching his legs tight around the body of the jet, waving one hand in the air as he shouted out a jubuliant 'Yee-_HAW!_"

The plane tried to pull out of the dive, but Sunstreaker was there to meet him, aiming a direct burst of laser fire at the plane's vulnerable underbelly. Another agonized wail came from the jet, and thick plumes of smoke erupted from his wounds. Sideswipe leaped clear as Starscream hit the ground hard, plowing a wide trench deep into the earth, sending a spray of dirt and debris at least fifty feet into the air. Before the twins could catch up though, Skywarp, ceasing his attack on Trailblazer and Hound, suddenly appeared at the side of his downed leader, and seconds later, they were gone, warped away.

The battle wasn't over yet though. Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Ratbat, Frenzy and Rumble had emerged from the cavern where they'd been collecting the rubies, and had launched themselves at Jazz in retaliation for his attack on their creator. Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ratbat took to the skies. Jazz managed to hit Frenzy directly in the exposed wiring between his chest plates under his right arm as the smaller Con had raised his gun to fire, but Rumble suddenly began pile-driving the earth, creating both an instant earthquake, and a dangerous crack in the ground that began to grow and twist, snaking its way towards Jazz.

::_Jazz_?:: Windcharger obviously wanted to join in.

::_Protect the humans!_:: Jazz repeated his earlier order. He'd handle this until Bumblebee showed up. But the humans hadn't asked for this, and he would not risk their safety. ::_Much as I hate givin' 'em, it's an order, 'Charger_.::

::..._understood_.:: Windcharger sounded both angry and resigned. Jazz grinned wryly even as he dodged the hole in the earth that was trying to swallow him up. He'd have to smooth over a few ruffled feathers after the battle was over, but that was nothing new, really.

Just then, Ravage leaped out of the jungle beside them. The cat was leaking oil from its front legs, and sparks flew from its damaged underbelly. Jazz was startled - and utterly amused - at the fact that Ravage seemed to be missing a good chunk of his tail. Obviously 'Bee had found the Decepticon during his recon and delivered a few solid hits. Still, battered and beaten, Ravage was nonetheless ever protective of his creator, and he leaped in front of Soundwave, hackles raised as he snarled his challenge to the Solstice.

"Ravage, disengage and return," Soundwave suddenly ordered. His tone was monotonous as it always was, but there seemed to be a thread of steel woven into them this time. Soundwave was a cold mech, but Jazz figured if the 'Con had a soft spot for anyone, it would be his cassettes. Ravage growled, but Soundwave repeated the order, and Jazz watched as the cat reluctantly turned around and limped back, transforming to cassette mode.

_Now!_ Jazz seized the opportunity and fired at Soundwave as the 'Con opened his chest cavity to receive Ravage. Jazz's aim was true, and Soundwave staggered back, smoke curling from his chest plates. Ravage was knocked aside by his creator's flailing, and hit the ground hard.

"Nice shot!" Sideswipe shouted. He was assisting Bluestreak and Ironhide with Thundercracker, no doubt looking for an opportunity to play a little more 'jet judo', but they always seemed to keep an optic out for Jazz. But where was Sunstreaker?

"_Eat molten slag, Decepticon scum!"_

_Ah, there he is_. Jazz grinned behind his visor as the yellow Lamborghini came charging out of the jungle he'd circled through in an attempt to hide his approach. His aim was impeccable, as always, and Frenzy and Rumble stumbled back, suddenly sprouting energon in a few places energon was not supposed to be seen from. "Thanks for the save, Sunny!"

"Anytime Jazz." Sunstreaker smiled viciously, a cold look in his bright blue optics. "Shall we?"

"Oh, please - let's!" Jazz and Sunstreaker opened fire. The cassettecons scattered.

_"Did I hear somebody ask for a miracle?!" _Disney's Mushu shouted, and suddenly the jungle foliage parted in the path of the familiar custom Camaro that barreled through it. Bumblebee screeched to a stop, whirled around, and then charged a still-stumbling Frenzy, crashing hard into the 'Con and plowing him down.

Jazz whistled. "Nice one, Bee!" Bumblebee's doors opened, and Sam got out, followed by a woman with red hair that Jazz didn't recognize - and then a form that he _did_. "Is that... _Mikey?"_

Sam ran over, followed by the woman and the turtle. Buzzsaw swooped down and tried to pluck him off the ground, but Bumblebee fired a quick shot that singed the metal bird's wings, and Buzzsaw swerved to the side before climbing again. Sam made it to Jazz's side and touched the small but jagged cut in Jazz's armor. "Jazz, you're hurt!"

"Nothing a little field repair won't fix," Jazz replied. He kept a wary optic out, but Bumblebee and Sunstreaker seemed to have the situation in hand. "Can you stop the energon flow from my reserve line? I can feel it leaking."

"No sweat." Sam dug into the backpack he carried when traveling with the others, and pulled out a jar of black fluid. "Have you ready in no time."

Jazz looked at the two 'people' that had accompanied his friend. "Hello, Miss." He smiled at her. "I'm afraid you're not catching me at my best." The woman smiled tentatively, obviously shocked. But the turtle was watching the sky with a frown on his face. "You're not Mikey."

"I'm Leonardo," the turtle said, switching his gaze for a minute. "Sam said your name was Jazz. You were one of the ones that helped my brother escape a few months ago."

"That would be Sideswipe, really," Jazz said. He jerked his thumb at Sunstreaker, who was still trading shots with Laserbeak and Ratbat with Bumblebee. "The twin of Sunstreaker there. What are you doing here?"

"Long story short, getting a giant ruby," the woman said. "My name's April, by the way."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." He held out his hand to take April's and bowed his head at her, gently touching his thumb to the back of her fingers. Jazz grinned as the woman blushed.

"Incoming!" Sunstreaker shouted at them.

Jazz's head shot up. Buzzsaw was coming back in, obviously trying to take advantage of their inattention. He fumbled for his gun, but the bird was already inbound. Instantly he grabbed April and Sam and crouched low, covering them as best he could. He reached for Leonardo too, but the turtle suddenly darted forward with a speed that was astonishing for a being carrying a shell that had to weigh at least forty to sixty pounds. He sprang into the air, and light flashed off the two swords he had pulled from his back. He was moving too quick for humans to see clearly, but Jazz's advanced Cybertronian circuitry recorded every nuance, every move, and he watched, spell-bound as the turtle did a beautiful slice-and-dice on the cassettecon.

One wing was sliced through completely, falling to the ground with a loud crash. The other sword scored a direct hit on the joint between Buzzsaw's neck and his shoulder. Buzzsaw wailed in pain as he fell to the other side, leaking smoke and energon. He hit the ground a second later, spraying them all with grass clumps and mud. He lay on the ground, twitching in pain.

Jazz blinked his optics. "Whoa."

Leonardo landed and bounded lightly back to them, setting up a protective stance again. "Finish repairs, Sam," he said calmly, still scanning the terrain for more threats as nonchalantly as if he did it every day. And maybe, Jazz thought, amused, he did. "I'll stand guard."

Sam nodded, grinning widely. "I am _so_ glad we brought you along."

"I know a thing or two about electronics and engineering," April volunteered. "Can I help?"

"Sure thing."

Jazz watched as April joined Sam in learning how to apply quick field repairs, and then scanned the scene himself. Hound and Trailblazer were fine; in fact, they were heading his way. Starscream had been badly damaged, so he wasn't surprised that the Decepticon Air Commander was gone, but Skywarp had failed to return, and so even Thundercracker had given up, falling back with the Constructicons. Bluestreak, Ironhide and Sideswipe were heading in. Brawn and Cliffjumper were finally backing off the beaten Constructicons who were already in the air, dragging their wounded behind them. Windcharger would be heading back in a minute too, now that the main fight seemed to be over.

That just left Soundwave and his cassettecons, two of which were already severely damaged, three if you counted the flattened Frenzy. Soundwave was looking at the incoming bots, and suddenly he issued a calm, "Decepticons _retreat_."

He gathered up Ravage, and summoned Buzzsaw's separate parts to him using his magnetic shield. Rumble was fine, Jazz could tell - only superficial damage, and he picked up his brother. Ratbat and Laserbeak were still able to fly by themselves, and they were already specks in the distance. Soundwave threw himself after them, even as Sunstreaker raised his gun to take one last potshot. Jazz flagged him down.

"What the frag, Jazz?"

"We won," Jazz said calmly. "Let him go."

The Autobots closed in, and Leonardo stepped back, looking at them all. Jazz chuckled at the guarded look on the terrapin's face. "Relax, Leo. Everyone here knows the story."

Sideswipe suddenly butted his way over and crouched down, peering quizzically at the turtle. "You're not Mikey," he said, looking slightly disappointed. "You must be Leo."

Leonardo wore a surprised expression as he slid his swords home in their holders. "Did you hear me over Jazz's radio?"

The red Lamborghini shook his head. "Nah, your brother filled me in. Donnie's the genius in purple, Raph's the hothead in red, and you're the fearless leader in blue, right?"

April muffled a giggle as she came out from under Jazz's side with Sam, wiping her hands on her pants. "I'd say they know you pretty well."

"Very funny." Leonardo took a step towards Sideswipe and bowed low to the ground. Jazz was confused, but Sam had a knowing look on his face, and Bumblebee was nodding. "Sideswipe?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for saving my brother." Leonardo's bow was deep and low, his tone respectful. "He would have been killed if you hadn't brought him out of there. I don't know how to even begin to pay you back for that, but I hope the little I was able to contribute today is a start."

It was Sideswipe's turn to look confused. Jazz filled him in. "Leonardo was the one that took out Buzzsaw."

Now the Lamborghini had a look of respect on his face. "Nice work," he said. "And don't bother thanking me or paying me back. Your bro saved my life too - did a field patch-up I needed badly. I'm just glad he's all right."

Leonardo smiled. April coughed. "I hate to break this up, but now what? We've got to get back to New York, and that means we've got to get ready."

"How do you travel, Leo?" Sam asked, curious. "I mean, you'd think someone would have reported seeing turtles in first class."

"Economy, please," April told him with a laugh. "And Leo, well, he's a true money-saver."

"No one checks the baggage compartments too closely. You'd be surprised how easy it is for a ninja to slip past a few guys taking a break from throwing people's belongings around." Leonardo shrugged, casually.

Jazz didn't like that. It was a fifteen hour flight back to New York, and baggage compartments were rarely heated or equalized unless there were pets on board. The first flight over had to have been uncomfortable, at the very least. He opened his mouth to extend an invitation to travel with them - their pick-up was due to arrive within the next hour - but Bumblebee beat him to it.

_"Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me!" _Bumblebee said insistently.

Sam nodded, catching quickly on to Bee's words as a result of two years of translating song lyrics. "Yeah, can he Jazz? There's plenty of room with Skyfire, and it'll save them the trouble." He looked pleadingly at Jazz. Bumblebee widened his own optics.

Now, when had Jazz ever been able to resist the puppy dog look? Particularly when given in stereo? "For that assist you gave us, a ride is the least we can do," Jazz said, agreeing. The twins were hooting with laughter at the easy way he'd caved, but Jazz had lots of experience in ignoring them. Hound looked excited at the idea - no doubt the prospect of talking to what was for him, a new species, was too thrilling.

April looked doubtful, however. "I don't know. I should report in to the government first. I found the ruby, I don't want to get into trouble."

"Ruby?" Jazz frowned. "What ruby?"

April opened the rucksack on her belt, and pulled out a ruby roughly the size of a football. Jazz whistled in appreciation. All of the other rubies the 'Cons had found were the size of tennis balls. Reformed, they would be good for laser cores, but then they'd be impure, and unsuitable as a power amplifier. This ruby though, was big enough to act as a decent weapon in the right - or wrong - hands. "You found that?"

"I was hired to find it," April told him. "The guy got me my paperwork and everything, but it still seems strange to me. I mean, a country giving a foreigner permission to take a precious gem from its mountains? Especially one this size? You'd think their own museums and scientists would want first crack at it." She shook her head. "That's why I'm worried about bringing it back. What if the papers are fake after all?"

"Your visa checked out at the airport," Leo reminded her.

"Yeah, but I haven't tried the other ones yet."

"Who hired you?" Sam asked curiously.

April dug through the bag again, and pulled out a sheaf of papers full of what Sam's dad liked to call legal-ese. "A... Mr Rumboli."

Hound sucked air through his intakes. "Rumboli?" His engine revved.

Jazz didn't like the sound of that either. "Who does Mr Rumboli work for?"

April flicked through the papers, scanning them all for a company name. "Consound Enterprises."

_Bingo_. "Consound?" Jazz exchanged knowing looks with his team.

Brawn growled. "Decepticons."

Trailblazer nodded. "Soundwave."

Jazz finished it up. "And Rumble." He looked at April again. "I think you were hired by the Decepticons to get that ruby. I have the feeling these little rubies, and this whole excavation project was just a diversion, something to distract us while you went and got them the big prize without anyone finding out."

Sam whistled. "Whoa...just think, Jazz. If you guys hadn't sent me and 'Bee to search for Ravage, we would have fallen for it, hook, line and sinker."

April stared wistfully at the ruby. "Well, I guess I can kiss that bonus goodbye," she groused. "Suggestions, boys?"

"Well, we can't leave it here," Sam mused. "If you report to 'Mr Romboli' that you didn't get it, or it was confiscated by the Bali government, they'll just come back and take it themselves, but in a much louder, more explosive way."

"I agree," said Jazz. "I'm thinkin' we might have to bring this l'il trinket back with us for safekeeping. What do you say?" He addressed this to April, who looked at him in confusion. He winked an optic at her. "Optimus will make sure you're properly reimbursed for finding it for us, and our contacts with the US government will make sure you're safe from legal retaliation, especially when we tell them just how much damage the 'Cons could do with this baby if they got their mitts on it."

April smiled. "I think that's a great idea. And at least this won't have been a total waste of a trip." She shook her head. "Not that it's been one so far."

Jazz smiled. "So that's settled. Anyone else here dying silently while we were discussing the new Ark's paperweight?"

Sunstreaker huffed. "That slagging Bonecrusher dented my armor!"

His twin smacked him on the arm. "_Dying_, Sunny. Dents are not life or death, no matter how much you insist the world needs your beauty to survive."

Sunstreaker growled and launched himself at his sibling. Yelps and clanging metal could be heard as the two tumbled head over heels across the grass, fists flashing in the fading light of day, and Jazz rolled his optics. "Anyone else?"

Leonardo nudged April and pointed at the tussling twins. "They remind you of anybody?"

April muffled a giggle.

Not long after that, the roar of a jet sounded overhead, and everyone looked up as a huge shuttle hovered overhead, touching down with a softness conventional jet pilots couldn't hope to copy on their best days. "Is everyone all right?"

"Hey, Skyfire." Sam waved. "Hope you don't mind a few extra passengers."

The large white shuttle transformed and looked down on the extra organics standing next to Sam. "Of course I don't mind," he said, smiling with friendly curiosity. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." April said, gaping up at the shuttle. The twins had been larger than Bumblebee, which had been a shock, but Skyfire towered over them all, clearing Sideswipe's chevrons by at least thirty feet. "I'm April. Wow, you're _big_."

Skyfire laughed. "Big enough to carry everyone home," he acknowledged. His gaze turned to Leonardo, and his optics seemed to widen. "You...."

Leonardo bowed again. "I'm Leonardo," he said pleasantly. "You might have heard the story of my brother Mikey and how he was saved by Sideswipe and the other Autobots."

Skyfire nodded thoughtfully. "I did, and frankly, the story fascinated me. The idea of such drastic mutations ocurring here on earth is just amazing. I'd love to talk to you about it."

"You should really talk to my brother, Donatello," Leonardo admitted wryly. "He's the scientist of our family."

"I certainly hope I get that opportunity." Skyfire looked around. "Shall we leave, then?"

Hound and Trailbreaker came over, good-naturedly dragging two dented and damaged twins with them. "Ratchet's gonna blow a servo when he finds out this damage was caused after the battle," Hound said with a chuckle.

"I vote for not telling him," whined Sideswipe painfully. Sunstreaker nodded rapidly in agreement.

"If you boys behave on the flight home, I'll think about it," Jazz promised, and was rewarded with looks of grateful relief. Then he turned to the others and held up his arm, preventing anyone from stepping forward up the ramp on the transformed Skyfire. "Hey, hey, hey guys! There is a lady present."

April smiled as she accepted his finger to help her up the ramp. "Can I possibly convince you to come home with me to teach these manners to my fiance?" she asked hopefully as she cleared the top step.

Jazz laughed, and then everyone was filing on board for the long ride home.

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**End Chapter three.**

What did you think???**  
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